Letters to the Editors

Pledge: 'It is my right, my privilege, my duty'

Editor: I am commander of Veterans Village American Legion Post 343. Part of our opening ceremony at each meeting is a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

If we have any members who are atheists, that is their business. But, I do expect them to either sit or stand quietly while the others recite the pledge and listen to the prayer.

Just as reciting the pledge is a violation of their constitutional rights, denying me the right to recite the pledge is a violation of my constitutional rights.

I spent 24 years in the Air Force as a noncombatant defending the flag and my right to respect that flag. If these atheists don't believe in God, that is their problem. But do not expect the majority to fall to their demands.

If these people really want to know what the pledge means, let them talk to an ex-POW. Many of my friends fall under that category. One gentleman, 6-foot-4 and 98 pounds when he was liberated, told me, with pride, how he made an American flag small enough to fit in the palm of his hand so the captors could not see it. Every morning he and his fellow prisoners would pledge allegiance to that little flag. Believe me, there are no atheists in combat.

A dear friend of mine, who passed some time ago, Roy Rogers, gave me a copy of the ex-POW Pledge of Allegiance, which I will repeat here. I hope some of the godless unpatriots will read and take heed:

"I pledge allegiance to the flag. I am an American. I was a POW. I have served my country. I need no one to tell me what allegiance I owe to my flag to my home of the United States of America. This flag stands for me, for love. My love for my family. My love for my friends. I did not forsake it when I was beaten, when I was starved, when I was killed. One nation under God, indivisible. I am one man, I have one country, I worship one God. Under God I was saved. Under God I have no fear. With liberty and justice for all.

"My allegiance is to liberty, to justice. My flag represents the best of myself, my effort, my home, my country. I will pledge allegiance to the flag. I will pledge under the love of God. It is my right, my privilege, my duty. I have earned it. Tell me not how! I have given you much. I am an EX-POW. Take nothing more from me. I pledge allegiance to the flag."
-- Kathryn L. Robinson, retired Air Force sergeant, Holiday

What to do about wait for care: Call

Editor: Here we will soon have two abandoned hospitals in West Pasco, built to be hospitals. Probably not good for anything else.

What to do. Here's a VA clinic on Little Road that's overloaded by vets that need care. Word is a new applicant must wait nine months to a year to see a doctor! And darn good doctors they are. But they can only do so much with the space they have.

What to do. Now there are 59 vet associations in Pasco. That's a lot of vets, a lot of votes. Do you think if we got together and prod these congressmen, maybe, just maybe, we could help these vets?

What to do. Call your vet association, call your congressman, tell them what to do, now.
-- Bill Killiard, Holiday

Palm Terrace volunteers do good work

Editor: We are a nonprofit organization. Our membership dues and special events are necessary for our building maintenance. As most organizations, we really need volunteers to help with projects. Well, surprise! A group of volunteers have painted the inside of our clubhouse and it didn't cost our organization any money! Good work, volunteers!
-- Joan Parsons, Palm Terrace subdivision, Port Richey

Drug commercials waste money

Editor: We watched C-Span on TV about the prescription drugs and their costs and do hope the Senate will do something about the costs to seniors.

We watched the Price is Right on TV and during the hourlong program counted 36 commercials, most for drugs.

We're sure the doctors don't appreciate having these commercials say, "Ask your doctor."

These commercials for drugs are very expensive, and if they were eliminated, the cost to the consumer would be lower.

TV today is getting to be so commercialized. If we had a mute button, it would be on during commercials. Or maybe we should cut off Time Warner Cable, which is costing us almost $45 a month without any pay channels.
-- Alice and Elmer McConaghy, New Port Richey

Add this to building department probe

Editor: As the city prepares to move forward on the investigation into the building department, without public input or discussion, I would like the council to broaden the investigation to include the following.

My first area of concern is the well field project on the property donated by Dr. Gills. Since the initial funding authorization by the council, there have been no public reports on the status of the test wells or the amount of money spent, to my knowledge.

All projects involving Wade-Trim should be given an exhaustive public review. It is incomprehensible how so much money has been spent for so little "bricks and mortar." There should be no settlement with Wade-Trim without full public disclosure.

One of the first administrative acts of City Manager Vince Lupo was to institute the abolition of the monthly financial report, which line-itemed every penny of revenue and expenditure. This act gave me grave pause. Why would a city manager want to keep the council and the citizens from being informed on the financial status of the city?

Mr. Lupo's business interests are reported to include consulting firms. Are these firms owned by Mr. Lupo, or any member of his family, doing work for any city contracting entity past or present?

Port Richey Police Department: How does it happen that members of council are surreptitiously tape-recorded without a warrant signed by a sitting judge? For that matter, how can a city manager tape-record a citizen making a public record request when the public records law states that government can't even ask requestors their names?
-- John W. King, Port Richey

City control shouldn't rest with one man

Editor: It seems to me, that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Several years ago, a great American named Will Rogers had a favorite expression, "All I know is what I read in the papers." Alas, I too am in the same boat.

Yes, I read the papers and am very much disturbed. When I came to Port Richey in 1983, Harold Loser was mayor. We had council problems then and we have the same problems now. Yes, I am confused. Why?

In the Pasco Times issue of June 13, I was informed that the City Hall had a big problem. A house was poorly built. It was given a C.O. (certificate of occupancy) by the then building inspector, Ralph Zanello. The people want to sue the city for $20,000.

In the Pasco Times issue of June 21 the paper informs me that the mayor wants to investigate our current inspector, Bill Sanders. Why? Bill Sanders had nothing to do with the C.O. okayed by Ralph Zanello. Bill Sanders had the problem thrown at him. Why blame Mr. Sanders?

Mr. Sanders says, "I will hire a lawyer." Now, that costs money. Mr. Sanders can prove that he did not issue the C.O. The city will lose. The city will have to pay Mr. Sanders' legal expenses. I am sure our mayor knows that. What's the beef? Think!

As I started to say, I am disturbed. It seems to me, that once a candidate sits on the mayoral throne there is a complete change of attitude, thinking, etc.

Oh yes! Another thought. The gambling ships. They are making a mess of the waters. The parking lot is filthy. The city does not get a red cent in revenue. It cost the city money. Why?

April 2003 is a short nine months away. Please, you concerned citizens of Port Richey, give the above some serious thought. We have lived through some pretty bad times since 1983. It's time we stopped. Time we gave the city to the City Council, not one person.
-- Michael Starr, Port Richey

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